The independent film studio, A24, has reached critical and commercial success with many films (Everything Everywhere All at Once, Uncut Gems, Moonlight) and often works with some of the biggest names in the business (Adam Sandler, Robert Pattinson, Michelle Yeoh). So when the first trailer dropped for Marty Supreme this week, a movie about a ping-pong star, played by A24 darling Timothée Chalamet (the film also stars Fran Drescher and Academy Award winner Gwyneth Paltrow), a jarring, unmistakable voice can be heard.

Is that…Kevin O’Leary?

Related: ‘First Piece of Advice I Gave My Kids About Money’: Kevin O’Leary Says You Can Be a Millionaire on a $65,000 Salary. Here’s How.

The “Shark Tank” star and venture capitalist plays a 1950s tycoon in the film — a work of fiction but based on a real person, American table tennis legend Marty Reisman. Playing a midcentury businessman came easy for O’Leary, who told TMZ (in his signature pajama bottoms) that he didn’t “take any acting lessons.”

“[The directors] said just be yourself and see what happens,” O’Leary said.

The writers of the film were looking for a “real a–hole, and [said] you’re it,” he added.

^{Kevin O’Leary and Timothee Chalamet are seen filming at the movie set of the ‘Marty Supreme’ in Times Square, Manhattan, on October 02, 2024, in New York City. Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images | Getty}

Although some people were shocked to see O’Leary have such a prominent part in the trailer, photos surfaced of his role last fall. And he has fourth billing, per ScreenRant, which means it isn’t a small cameo. Usually, when a non-acting celebrity makes an appearance in a feature film, it’s a short part (Eminem’s hilarious role in Happy Gilmore 2, for example), or the person plays a version of themselves.

But in this film, O’Leary’s character is married to Gwyneth Paltrow’s.

We’ll see how film critics rate his performance when the movie is released on December 25, 2025.

“You have to spend 30% of your day outside your comfort zone,” O’Leary said.

Related: Kevin O’Leary Says This Is the One Skill He Looks For in a Leader — But It’s ‘Almost Impossible to Find’

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Growing up in a family of overachieving entrepreneurs was a luxury. That’s because it afforded me the opportunity to witness the requisite ingredients in a successful recipe, an experience that has stayed with me on my own 10-year journey as an entrepreneur.

These are the five characteristics of a successful entrepreneur.

1. Ambition

Ambition is super important. You either have it, or you don’t. There are certain types of people that you meet who are just a little bit more driven than others. They are forward-thinking, and being ambitious just naturally comes to them.

As a teacher of courses, I have gotten to be pretty good at recognizing ambition. If students come up to me right after class and just start engaging and asking questions, then I know they were paying attention. They were hungry and they wanted it. They genuinely wanted to learn, as opposed to people who are slacking off and not doing any of the lessons. If someone is three or four months in, and the course should only take three weeks to finish, then I know this person is probably not going to make it. But if they finish the course in two weeks, then that is a strong indicator that they’re committed and that they’re disciplined.

Related: How to Make the Most of Your Ambition

2. Discipline

Discipline ties into ambition. It also ties into perseverance and grit, which I write about later. Discipline means having a routine and sticking to it. For me, it is waking up at 7 a.m., having a quick cup of coffee, maybe a light snack and immediately diving into work. My laptop goes with me everywhere. I’m disciplined day in and day out, seven days a week. Eventually, it becomes a habit. At that point, you have a strong enough mindset to just stay disciplined and keep your goal in mind.

Discipline isn’t glamorous, but it’s the engine behind every successful person. It’s what keeps you working when motivation fades away. Many people are motivated in the beginning, but few can sustain their output after the initial excitement wears off. Discipline means doing the unsexy tasks like answering emails, tracking numbers or fixing backend issues day after day, without shortcuts. Yes, it is monotonous work. Of course, it means time in the trenches. It is about learning how to overcome obstacles. Over time, with that consistency, you build trust in yourself. You begin to expect results from your effort because your habits are aligned with your goals.

3. Grit

Grit is important, too. You have to be able to stick it out, even if things are hard. It’s like learning a new skill, which is challenging. You can’t outsource it yet. This is a quality that a lot of the younger generation is lacking right now. They will try a lot of different things, like whatever is the latest trend. They’ll stick with it for a few days, but they don’t feel like they are having any success because they expect immediate gratification thanks to all these unrealistic Instagram Reels or TikToks.

All you see on social media are the highlights — the successes. It’s people showing the best side of themselves. You don’t see the struggle. You don’t see the obstacles. There’s just so much distraction that you have to have grit to get through it. It might take a year, or it might take five years to become successful in business. That’s okay. You can’t give up.

4. Take advice

Being receptive to advice is another one. That said, you need to be wise about who to take advice from. Unfortunately, the people closest to you, maybe friends or family, might offer you bad advice. For example, when I was 21 or 22, I experienced my first success with an Amazon store. I was really excited. I was on a trip back east with my cousins. I was making $6,000 a month in profit, and everything was going great. I decided I was going to scale the store. Then one of my cousins said, “You should stay in school and take the conventional path.”

It broke my spirit a little bit. Even though it was from a place of care and love, she didn’t know any successful entrepreneurs. So, I took it with a grain of salt because she could have had her own reasons for saying that. The people closest to you could be subconsciously taking that position because they didn’t achieve what they wanted to in life. Then again, taking advice from people who have walked in your path before or are where you want to be can be super valuable. This is especially true if they have the same ethics as you, or they’re in a similar industry and they’re crushing it.

In fact, I would say that being coachable is a rare superpower. The most successful entrepreneurs aren’t the ones who act like they have it all figured out. They’re people who are always learning from people who’ve already walked the path. Coachability, in my opinion, is about both listening and applying what you hear. If you’re too proud to be corrected or too stubborn to evolve, you’ll hit a ceiling eventually. The key is to ask better questions and stay humble enough to know there’s always more to learn, even when you’re already doing well.

Related: The Best Advice I’ve Ever Received — 5 Keys to Entrepreneurial Success

5. Be a lifelong learner

The last point I want to make is to be a lifelong learner. For example, I read Marketplace Pulse every morning. I also subscribe to all the ecommerce newsletters and read them so that I am up to date on the industry. Our industry is moving really fast. So, I also go on YouTube at least once or twice a week to look at what the younger sellers are doing as well as to see all the trends in different marketplaces, whether it’s Amazon, Walmart, eBay, TikTok Shop and so on. It’s about continuing to educate yourself because this industry is changing rapidly.

In May, Warren Buffett‘s Berkshire Hathaway filed a 13-F (a quarterly report disclosing a firm’s holdings) that listed investments in what have been labeled “mystery stocks.”

As Business Insider explains, big investors can ask for permission from the SEC to keep some aspects of their trading activity under the radar, giving them the ability to “quietly build large positions.”

Related: Warren Buffett’s Wealth Grew More After Turning 65

Since that 13-F filing, investors have been scrambling to learn what the Oracle of Omaha was backing, hoping to get in early. Well, the wait is finally over, and the company revealed the mystery investments. Prepare yourself, it isn’t exactly sexy: Berkshire Hathaway announced it took a combined $1.8 billion stake in homebuilders DR Horton and Lennar, and steel producer Nucor.

Investor’s Business Daily reports that Nucor traded up 6.2% to 153.34 before the open based on the news. DR Horton rose 3.1% and Lennar climbed 4.6%.

Other notable investments included Berkshire Hathaway buying more than five million shares in UnitedHealth last quarter for a stake worth about $1.6 billion.

Related: Warren Buffett Says to Forget About 10,000 Hours of Practice — If You Want to Master Something, Do This Instead

In May, 94-year-old Buffett announced that stepping down as Berkshire CEO at the end of the year but would stay on as chairman of the board. Greg Abel, Berkshire’s current vice chairman of non-insurance operations, will take over as CEO.

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Every entrepreneur dreams of building more than a brand. They want to build a movement — something agile and mobile, powered not just by a product, but by people. A self-sustaining community where culture fuels connection, and connection fuels growth.

That’s what Nick Ansom created with the Hoopbus in Los Angeles. Now, he’s taking that vision global.

The Hoopbus was born out of one of Ansom’s earliest basketball creations: the Venice Basketball League, a grassroots pro-am tournament launched nearly two decades ago on Venice Beach.

What began as a vibrant gathering of hoopers from across Los Angeles quickly grew into a cultural force, backed by a community centered around the love of the game. And at the center of it all is a bright yellow school bus with a basketball hoop.

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From the start, VBL events were as much about performance as they were about community.

“It was competitive,” says Hoopbus Executive Director Tobias Dimarco, “but it was really about putting on a show.”

MCs on rollerblades hyped up the crowd, while elite dunkers and entertainers from around the city delivered high-energy spectacles. Courtside, the league made a meaningful impact by offering smoothie stations, teaching kids about nutrition and promoting health and wellness through fun, hands-on experiences.

“It was such an open, welcoming community,” Dimarco says. “Over the years, the feedback was always the same: ‘How do I get this experience where I’m from?’

Ansom, at the time, was focused on his life’s passion: building basketball courts around the country, when the idea for the hoop bus came together.

“I think it was a perfect storm that came together,” says Dimarco. “We were already putting hoops on anything and everything, running events, and building this community that wanted to be part of it. But we needed a way to move — our people, our gear, everything. So we thought, why not get a bus and put hoops on it?”

Related: The Next Chapter of Basketball? Why This New League Is Betting Big on 1v1 Hoops

Shortly after the first bus was completed, the Los Angeles basketball community was shaken by the tragic death of Kobe Bryant in January 2020. In tribute to the Lakers legend, the Hoopbus rolled through a grieving city adorned with purple and gold nets, a Kobe-themed interior, and a striking mural of Bryant painted on the roof.

Kobe’s passing seemed to mark the beginning of a tumultuous period in society, soon followed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the murder of George Floyd, which sparked global protests against police brutality. That summer, the Hoopbus and its crew were on the front lines of the social justice movement, traveling from California to Washington, D.C., and joining demonstrations across the country.

“That was the foundation for what we now call Vehicles for Change,” says Executive Director Tobias Dimarco. “That’s what we want the buses to be — our medium for expressing how we see the world.”

Half a decade later, the “OG HoopBus” is still rolling with some 700k miles on the odometer, and the company has expanded into a nonprofit 501(c)(3) with six domestic buses.

Building on their success in the U.S., the Hoopbus team took their mission global — launching El Hoopbus in Mexico City in 2024, followed shortly after by Le Hoopbus in Ansom’s native France. But their latest international initiative might be their most creative yet.

Related: Von Miller Learned About Chicken Farming in a College Class – And It Became the Inspiration for a Business That Counts Patrick Mahomes as an Investor

Basketball without borders

The Hoopbus runs on compassion as much as gasoline, driven by a mission to expand access to basketball and share the joy of the game with those who need — and want — it most. Few places are better suited for that mission than the Philippines, which Ansom calls “the holy land of basketball.”

“I’ve never been more inspired than I was there,” Ansom says of the country. “Seeing people live to play and make basketball a way of life puts things into perspective. I’ve never experienced anything like it.”

Beyond the country’s deep passion for basketball, the Philippines also has a rich relationship with buses — specifically the iconic Jeepneys, the most popular form of public transportation. That cultural overlap made it feel like a Hoopbus, or HoopJeep, was destined to land there. But that doesn’t mean it was easy.

The Philippines initiative wouldn’t have been possible without the support of VC investor Peter Robert Casey and his donor-advised Play With Purpose Fund at JDS Sports.

“He completely changed the outlook for us,” Dimarco recalls. “We told him, ‘We want to build a bus in the Philippines and bring this experience there.’ He asked how much we needed—and within two days, the full amount was in our account.”

“HOOPBUS Philippines will create moments and memories that last long after the final whistle,” adds Robert Casey. “From refurbishing courts to running free youth clinics, this project is proof that basketball can be a “vehicle for impact,” exactly what Play With Purpose exists to support.”

Building courts and building culture

With funding secured, Hoopbus Philippines faced a new challenge: the country’s shift away from traditional Jeepneys due to growing concerns about pollution. Ironically, the transition sparked widespread protests — creating a spirit of activism reminiscent of the environment where the original Hoopbus was born.

“Nobody wanted to build the bus at first,” Ansom recalls.

They eventually partnered with Milwaukee Motors, a Philippines-based company whose only connection to the American city is a shared love for the Milwaukee Bucks.

The first meeting between the Hoopbus crew and Milwaukee Motors didn’t happen in a boardroom — rather, a makeshift garage deep in the Philippine jungle.

“There was an address, but nothing there,” Ansom recalls. “Just a dirt road and the sound of welding torches in the distance.”

After haggling over the price, Ansom decided the best path forward was to design and build the bus from scratch. That way, it could be fully road-compliant, registered, insured and equipped with a new engine built to last for decades.

“We’re not the most formal team,” Dimarco admits with a laugh, “and trying to bring formality and timelines into the process was tough. Eventually, we had to accept that we’d get it when we get it.”

Conclusion

While the logistics are complex, the goal of the HoopJeep is simple.

“There are three pillars,” DiMarco explains. “Area beautification through court refurbishments, resource distribution, and youth programming.”

That means installing 500 new rims and nets, donating thousands of basketballs and shoes, and showing up for the communities that need it most.

“There are so many overwhelming problems in the world, it can make your head spin,” he adds. “But my philosophy is simple: Show kindness, empathy, and understanding — and hopefully, that inspires someone else to do the same.”

At one point in my life, I had two successful businesses, four children and of course, my husband. All of them needed my attention, so I did my very best to stretch myself as far as I possibly could to please everyone. It nearly broke me.

There was simply no way to make every practice, every meal, every performance, every school event, every weekend-long tournament and also keep up with endless Zooms and meetings, creative reviews, employee check-ins and sales trips. On top of that, the date nights my husband and I desperately needed — so that, amongst the madness, we stayed connected — were always the first thing sacrificed. They’re the most convenient thing to walk away from because we convince ourselves that they can wait. That we will get there…eventually.

Related: The Most Successful Founders Take Retreats — Here’s Why You Should, Too

I would plan meticulously. And something would always change my plans. Sick kid? Nope, didn’t plan for that. I’d hustle to find care to help watch them while I worked from home, only for that to fall through. And then I’d be juggling everything, sometimes relying on screens to help distract them so I could take a call. Screens as a babysitter? Yes, and I felt as though I had let myself down. I said I would never do that, and yet, there I was — such a hypocrite.

A teacher meeting? Yes, of course I will make a teacher meeting. I’d always move things around to make it work and be fully present. We would discuss some observations, which would translate into learning disabilities that would need support. Didn’t plan on that either. But of course, I would do all the research and everything in my power to support the needs of a child with special needs. New doctors, new appointments, tutoring, exams, neuropsychologists, all of it. None of it was in the perfect plan I had imagined. But we adjust. We show up. We soldier on.

I was fortunate enough to have a husband who supported me through every twist and turn, often taking the lead. I know that not everyone has the luxury of having support from a partner, and I was deeply grateful that I did then and still do now.

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And then, in the midst of all of this, an employee at work asked me what I did for self-care. I had to repeat the words back to myself, “self-care?” I didn’t really have an answer. It made me pause and think. What did I do to find peace? I never really prioritized that. Thinking about self-care took me all the way back to my waitressing days, and all I could think was, “If you have time to lean, you have time to clean.” Taking time for myself seemed selfish when I had so much more that I could be doing at any given moment.

My head was constantly spinning until one day I realized it would be impossible to have it all. In fact, you can’t. You will inevitably fail at something. Every day, there was a dropped ball, something I should have prioritized and didn’t. In the effort to have it all, I was constantly failing at something and disappointing myself in the process.

I decided to take a hard look at my desire to control everything in my businesses. I realized I was always doing tasks that really should have been allocated to someone else. Taking some time to analyze what truly needed my attention and what was safe to give away was going to be the key to making my life work.

Related: How Employers Can Help Working Parents Navigate Back-to-School Season

The only way to find peace was acceptance. When I removed that pressure of needing to be everything to everyone, I realized that I was doing the best that I could in each circumstance, and sometimes that meant I couldn’t show up in every way possible. I was going to miss a practice, but I would do my best not to miss a game.

I might not make every performance of the run, but I would always make one. Will I do a Zoom while I am driving the kids to soccer? Absolutely. But instead of thinking about how I should be present with the kids in every single moment, creating an unreasonable amount of guilt, I’ll focus on how to use my time best to make it all come together and be grateful that I could figure it out and make it to both.

Date night with my husband would become a priority because our connection holds our entire world up, and without it, it all starts to crumble. Resentment and frustrations build over time from making too many assumptions when we don’t connect on a deeper level.

Every day, I accept that I will probably fail at something, forget something and not show up in the exact way I planned, and that is okay. A good mom is a happy mom, and by removing all of the pressure to be perfect, I am able to be a better mother, a better wife and most importantly, kinder to myself.

As we head back into the school season and the beautiful chaos of everyday life, I hope that you are kind to yourself, forgive yourself and accept that you can’t do it all — and that is more than okay.

We hear it all the time: work hard, chip away a little at a time, take the first step. But when the rubber meets the road, do people actually do this? Lately, it seems like procrastination has become a more and more relevant issue. Is it that we are stretched too thin? Adding more to our plate until our schedules are too demanding? Maybe we’ve gone too far the other way — relying too much on modern technologies for efficiency? Have we lost a certain mental fortitude that previously spurred action because of these conveniences?

Maybe for some. But when it comes to high performers, the ones who still achieve, move forward and make a difference, I’ve observed a different procrastination challenge: fear of failure. To be clear, fear is not a wholly negative feeling. After all, fear tells us when we are in danger, protects us from unnecessary risks and supports our survival instincts. Fear is useful. However, sometimes we can get our wires crossed, allowing fear to butt in and take the reins when it isn’t necessary, resulting in missed opportunities.

As a franchise consultant, I work with many high performing professionals, some who have their productivity on lockdown like a well oiled machine and are able to evaluate fear and make rational decisions despite uncertainty. Alternatively, I have worked with others who don’t have these skills in place from the get-go and must learn how to develop them.

So where does fear of failure motivate instead of encouraging procrastination? Below are three key procrastination pitfalls that lean into negative fear.

Related: Considering franchise ownership? Get started now to find your personalized list of franchises that match your lifestyle, interests and budget.

Perfectionism

I’m sure you’ve heard the expression “not seeing the forest for the trees.” Perfectionists are masters at this. It may seem silly, but the fear of not being perfect in the minutia can limit people in debilitating ways.

It’s important to note that small efforts in little ways are important, but there must be a strong awareness of prioritization. If you don’t align your efforts with essential results, you can spend all your time and effort creating movement without any actual progress.

How does this perfectionism show up in entrepreneurial pursuits? Maybe you spent hours sending perfectly crafted emails, but if you set up an automation sequence, half of them would have been redundant. Maybe you’ve designed the perfect landing page, but functionally your website is a mess. Maybe you’ve spent hours researching processes and creating a manual of standard operating procedures, but training is lacking so there’s no way to communicate these valuable tools effectively. You get the picture.

Frequently, these perfectionist errors come from focusing on secondary tasks while systemic problems persist.

Related: This Franchise Gives Veterans a $40,000 Head Start to Build Generational Wealth — No Fee Required

Imposter syndrome

So you’ve started the business, signed the contract, leased a retail space, hired workers and everything on paper is checking out. You’re on the hook professionally and financially and you’ve worked hard to get here. So, why does it feel like you don’t measure up? Imposter Syndrome.

It seems counterintuitive, but even those who have every right to feel accomplished can be left feeling like they aren’t doing something right. People experiencing imposter syndrome often compare their own perceived shortcomings and insecurities with the perceived successes and strengths of others or their own idealized image of success, leading to feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt. As entrepreneurs, we are all too aware of what we don’t know. In fact, being an entrepreneur has a way of holding up a very harsh mirror to your insecurities and areas for improvement.

It can be terrifying to spiral from scenario to scenario imagining all the ways something could go wrong because you haven’t honed a certain skill “enough.” Maybe you have experience in sales and have a sturdy background in finance, but you’ve never had to manage employees before. Now, with opening day fast approaching, you’re doubting whether you can do this at all because of this singular gap in experience.

The good news? No one who has ever started a business had all the answers from the beginning. If there are things that you need to learn on the fly, you’re in good company. Find a peer group you can lock into that is experiencing the same journey.

Related: What My First Failed Startup Taught Me — and How I Finally Got It Right 20 Years Later

Self-protection

Now for the kicker. Previously I mentioned how fear is useful in protecting us from danger. And this is true. However, “danger” is relative. It can be easy to psychologically confuse real danger for perceived danger. Don’t fall into the trap of mistaking comfort and a lack of change for safety, while considering any form of discomfort and progress as “danger.”

Let’s be clear: time and effort must be spent determining your individual tolerance level for risk. Likewise, time and effort must be spent honestly evaluating business opportunities before taking a leap – but to get to where you want, you have to actually be willing to leap.

At some point, successful entrepreneurs must trust that their preparations and due diligence have prepared them to succeed despite possible setbacks and challenges. If your goal is to avoid all discomfort, then entrepreneurship is not the right path. But if you can look inward and develop the skills necessary to understand risks and still move forward, then the world is your oyster.

At the end of the day, entrepreneurship is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor, but if you’ve seriously considered it and continue kick the can down the road, then it’s time to analyze whether this procrastination is based on a well-reasoned risk analysis, or if fear of failure is the real culprit.

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Those who run a business know how quickly monthly software subscriptions add up. That’s why this Microsoft Office Professional 2021 lifetime license is a game-changer for entrepreneurs, managers, and anyone who depends on a rock-solid productivity suite with uninterrupted access.

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Whether you’re creating client proposals in Word, building budgets in Excel, presenting strategies in PowerPoint, managing your calendar in Outlook, or even designing marketing materials in Publisher, this is the professional-grade toolkit that keeps your business moving forward.

Unlike cloud-only alternatives, Microsoft Office Professional 2021 gives you the flexibility to work exactly how you want — whether you’re on a plane finishing a proposal, in a client meeting reviewing spreadsheets, or in the office fine-tuning a presentation. And because it’s installed directly on your PC, you won’t lose access to critical files or features if your internet connection drops. That’s the kind of reliability every business leader needs.

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If your business runs on documents, spreadsheets, and presentations, there’s no reason to keep paying month after month when you can own your Office apps for life.

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I sat down with Chris Gabaldon, CEO of Moët Hennessy North America, who is just over a year into his role. It’s his first time leading a company as CEO, and yet the portfolio he oversees is anything but novice. Moët & Chandon, Hennessy, Dom Pérignon — these are just some of their brands woven into cultural milestones for centuries. What struck me wasn’t just the weight of the legacy he’s stewarding, but how grounded and candid he was about the challenge.

Gabaldon didn’t come up through the alcohol industry. He built a career in hospitality — starting as a room service waiter and eventually working with brands like The Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis at Marriott. That experience, he says, taught him to value the customer connection. But it also underscored one of the fundamental differences he now faces: You can’t personally walk over and fix someone’s glass of Dom if they had a bad experience. When your product is filtered through layers of distributors, retailers and events, how do you maintain that intimacy?

Related: What Quiet Leadership Looks Like in a Loud World — and How It Took This Company to $3B in Revenue

The conversation quickly expanded from the story of his leadership path to the broader challenges facing the alcohol industry today. Sales are down amongst many alcohol brands, especially among younger consumers who are drinking less and seeking more from the brands they support. Gabaldon was clear: Younger people may be drinking less, but they’re willing to pay more for quality, for craft, for a story. That’s where he sees the opportunity — not in pushing volume, but in doubling down on excellence and the experience.

We also talked about how legacy brands adapt. It’s not about abandoning heritage, but evolving without compromising authenticity. Gabaldon cited collaborations with cultural icons like LeBron James and Beyoncé not as marketing gimmicks, but as bridges — ways to introduce the next generation to brands with centuries of substance. That kind of evolution takes time, he admitted. Headlines come fast, but credibility is earned slowly.

One thing I appreciated was how open Gabaldon was about the realities of leadership. He acknowledged how hard it was to start a new role and immediately face layoffs. It wasn’t something he shied away from. “Being the one to make that final decision — it’s a different kind of pressure,” he told me. For someone stepping into a legacy-laden organization amid shifting consumer trends and economic uncertainty, that honesty stood out.

Gabaldon came across as thoughtful and competent — someone who genuinely respects the weight of the brands he leads while staying attuned to how quickly the world around them is changing. He doesn’t have all the answers, but he’s asking the right questions. And for Moët Hennessy North America, that may be the leadership style this moment calls for. And, of course, I’m a big fan of their brands.

Related: How the CEO of This Iconic Pizza Brand Is Building on 50 Years of Deep-Dish Dominance and Fueling Sustainable Growth

A passive-aggressive form of management is making headlines: quiet firing, the practice where bosses make working conditions so unpleasant for an unwanted employee that the person leaves on their own accord.

It’s not a new maneuver, but it does seem to be growing in popularity. In a 2025 HRTech survey of over 1,000 U.S. managers, 53% admit to using quiet firing tactics. And a 2022 LinkedIn survey found that nearly half of 20,000 respondents had experienced it in the workplace.

Related: Why Quiet Firing Doesn’t Work (and What to Do Instead)

The sinister part of this technique is that it plays on people’s fears and doubts without getting concrete feedback. Employees are left to wonder if they are imagining slights, if they are being too sensitive, which puts layers of stress on an already stressful situation.

“[T]he hope is that you will eventually quit,” Jason Walker, Psy.D., Ph.D., the program director and an associate professor of Industrial-Organizational and Applied Psychology at Adler University, told USA Today.

The newspaper spoke with Walker and several HR and management experts to come up with a list of clear signs that a person has become the target of quiet firing.

1. A reduction in support and responsibilities. If resources are suddenly taken away and several important tasks are reassigned to someone else, take it as a sign that your manager is attempting to extinguish your ability to grow.

2. Getting grunt work thrown at you. Conversely, having menial work that is well beneath your abilities piled on is a tactic used to make you miserable enough to walk out the door.

3. Being left out of meetings. Being cut out of communications and planning for upcoming initiatives is the biggest red flag that you are being quietly fired, the experts told USA Today.

4. Cursory reviews. Minimal or no feedback on the quality of your work is a clear indication that management doesn’t see you as someone they want contributing to the future of the company.

Related: An Astonishing 1 in 3 Office Workers Under 40 Admit to ‘Quiet Quitting’ For This Singular Reason. Here’s Why — And How — That Needs to Change.

Why do managers engage in quiet firing?

The experts told USA Today that there are a few reasons for the rise in quiet firing. One is that it reduces a company’s risk of wrongful termination lawsuits and also sidesteps having to pay severances. Another is that with the hybrid world we’ve lived in for the past few years, many managers lack the training and experience of having honest and hard conversations with employees.

What should you do if you are experiencing quiet firing?

It’s not a career death sentence if you are noticing any of these signs, according to Brandon Dawson, the chairman and co-founder of 10X Health System.

“If you’re sensing signs of quiet firing, don’t retreat,” he told USA Today.

Dawson suggests that you speak directly to your manager about your concerns. And keep a record of everything — save emails and request feedback in writing, and keep all of this documentation on a personal computer. As the experts point out, quiet firing isn’t necessarily illegal, but it is if it is tied to discrimination or workplace retaliation.

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